Grant to boost harvest festival

With only days to go before the region celebrates, the Harvey Harvest Festival received a funding boost through a $20,000 grant from Lotterywest.

Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke presented the grant at Snell Park on March 6 to festival coordinator Lisa Bevans, Harvey Mainstreet committee vice-chairman David Marshall and Harvey shire councillor Michelle Boylan.

Mrs Clarke said this year would be the first year she would attend the festival.

“I’m really proud to be down here this year and look forward to the entire day,” Mrs Clarke said.

“I might get roped into doing some grape stomping.”

Mrs Clarke praised the volunteers who had supported the festival for many years.

“It’s the 20th year and there’s people on the committee that have been here since the start of it,” she said.

“I think it’s fantastic that the community gets right behind it.”

Festival coordinator Lisa Bevans said the funding would go towards the general budget of preparations for the festival.

“I haven’t allocated which areas yet but probably more towards advertising and the promotional side of things,” she said.

Harvey Mainstreet committee chairman Joe Capogreco said he was grateful for the grant which the festival relied on each year.

Mr Capogreco said the grant had increased over the years in line with the popularity of the festival.

“We’ve been lucky to get that funding for the last 15 years,” he said.